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6. Emergency mobile-phone charger
You've been stranded out in the middle of nowhere with your erstwhile travelling buddy for weeks, stumbling around looking for signs of civilization. At last your mobile has coverage and, believing salvation is at hand, you call for assistance. Then the battery goes flat. It's at times like these you'll be feeling ever so smug and superior for remembering to pack an emergency charger. Some chargers are model-specific, while other suit a range of phones. They use standard AAA batteries and typically give you around 40 to 60 minutes of talk time and four to six hours of standby time. Sorted.
7. Universal plug adaptor
Plugs and sockets are the bane of international travellers' lives. There are at least nine different types of plugs in use around the world. Europe uses two prongs, the USA has three, the UK also has three but they're different to the US ones, and so on. The International Electrotechnical Commission actually wrote a world standard in the 1980s but governments are reluctant to give up their own standards. Luckily, universal plug adaptors can save the day. Ingenious as a Rubik's Cube, in one tiny box they fit all the prongs needed to produce a plug you can use wherever you wake up.
8. Headlamp
When you're travelling around with your world in your backpack you're always on the lookout for good things that come in tiny packages. That's why we really love the ultralight travel headlamp designed by the caving gurus over at Petzl Zipka. Weighing only 57 g with batteries included, this mini-illuminato fits into the smallest of pockets ensuring it's always close at hand during a blackout or on those long, dark nights when you're stuck by yourself at the back of a plane, train or automobile. Anyone wishing to see the light should invest in one of these, a genuine travel essential.
9. Quick-dry towel
Sometimes the best ideas are also the most simple. Anyone who's had to drag around a wet heavy towel in their backpack, unable to prevent it festering in its own dampness, or worse still, spreading mildew onto your spare set of clothes as you travel between places, will understand the straightforward brilliance of a lightweight towel that can dry super-fast -- up to eight times quicker than a beach towel. Made from a combination of synthetic microfibres, the best brands also come with their own carry bag and are treated to prevent the buildup of bacteria, fungi and stench.
10. GPS watch
For those who like exploring well off the beaten path, and others who just want to be James Bond, the Suunto X0 Global Positioning System (GPS) watch uses 27 satellites to calculate its wearer's exact location, give or take a few metres, almost anywhere on the planet. Very handy if you get lost looking for the South Pole or charging through an Ecuadorian rainforest. What's more, it features a barometer, altimeter and compass, and will measure your travelling speed, guide you to your destination and store coordinates so you can retrace your steps. Amazingly, it also tells the time.
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 | Reproduced with permission from Bluelist 2007, copyright 2006 Lonely Planet Publications. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher. |
